SWOT analysis is a powerful tool that you can use in order to assess your strengths and weakness and to anticipate threats and opportunities. By cultivating such awareness, individuals can gain valuable information that they can act upon in order to take advantage of the multiple opportunities available to them and seek assistance to meet the challenges they face. This Personal Development Portfolio assignment asks you to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses and identify opportunities and threats in your environment.
•Based upon the Learning Resources and your experience, reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as they relate to your goals and career development.
• Create a document with four areas labelled as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Using bullet points, fill in the document with your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as they relate to your goals and career development.
•Strengths and weaknesses are aspects of your knowledge, abilities, background and so forth. They are something you possess as a person and could potentially develop or improve upon.
•Opportunities and threats are external to you—in other words, aspects of your organisation, your industry or even the economic, social or political context in general.
•Include a brief (approximately 600 words) summary and reflection on your personal SWOT analysis.
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SAMPLE ANSWER
Week 5 information: Tuberculosis disease surveillance system
TB disease surveillance system is essential in ensuring closer monitoring and management of the disease. The system must function appropriately to have tangible benefits to the users. Quality assurance is very critical part of any surveillance system that operates successful. Quality assurance ensures that the system is continuously monitored evaluated and data is improved.
In US, national tuberculosis Surveillance System (NTSS) is located at the division of tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) and functions as the national repository of TB disease surveillance data. Center for Diseases control and prevention receive information/data from the various jurisdictions reports through a standardized data collection from known as RVCT) Report of Verified of Case OF Tuberculosis (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014).
The RVCT is usually revised on period basis to take into consideration the new changes in the disease epidemiology. The latest implementation was done in the year 2009 and it incorporated more recent development such as web-based systems. There is still a lot that have been done to ensure that data is collected and reported well to ensure that adequate information is available. Various teams form partnerships with public health officials and other local professionals to develop and in launching of national training programs on the new RVCT (WHO, 2014). These initiatives are undertake to foster or enhance quality of data collected. In management of TB, it is critical to have enough data or information about the prevalence of the diseases. This information on the areas the disease is prevalence as well helps to come up with appropriate strategies to manage the disease.
Five factors require consideration to ensure quality assurance of the tuberculosis surveillance systems. These components includes, case detection, data accuracy, data completeness, data timeliness and data security and confidentiality (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014). Case detection is the first aspect. Once an instance of specific diseases or even exposure such as TB is done, a health care worker reports it. This information as well is collected from laboratory work or from a medical or a vetenary care. The observation or such incidence should be diagnosed and verified.
Data accuracy is another important component of quality assurance. The submitted data need to match with the patient record at the location or point of care (Arkansas Department of Health, 2014). The data recorded in the surveillance system need to remain consistent with the activities that happened in the clinical encounter if they were not clinically appropriate or if they were clinically appropriate.
The third component is data completeness. This measure helps to ascertain whether information submitted has complete set of data items or not (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014). This is very important as it ensures that any information stored in the system is complete and therefore can be relied in the future. This requires verification of such information to ensure that it is complete and meets the threshold set for data completeness.
Data is also required to factor in the aspect of timeliness. It is important that prompt reporting of surveillance data is done to the health authorities. Once the information is accessed, it is very important that this information is reported immediately to provide an appropriate mechanisms responding to the same and instituting to preventive mechanism.
The last component is data security and confidentiality. Security of data entails measures in place geared at protecting data of public health and information systems from accessibility by unauthorized release (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2014). It also involves measures concerning information identification, loss of information and damage of the systems. Data confidentiality aims to protect personal information gathered by public health organizations. Personal information should not be released to third parties without the consent of the owner of the information or the patients.
Quality Assurance components of TB surveillance system
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC). (2014). Tuberculosis Information Management System (TIMS) Replacements. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/tb/programs/tims/NEDSS.
•Comparing the HR leadership competencies outlined in the CIPD Profession Map and the SHRM Competency Model
•Critically analysing how these perspectives on HR professional competencies relate to the strategic HR leader role
The following conditions must meet in the essay:
1) I want a typical and a quality answer which should have about 1100 words.
2) The answer must raise appropriate critical questions.
3) The answer must include examples from experience or the web with references from relevant examples from real companies.
4) Do include all your references, as per the Harvard Referencing System,
5) Please don’t use Wikipedia web site.
6) I need examples from peer reviewed articles or researches.
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SAMPLE ANSWER
HRM.W4.collaboration.R
CIPD Profession Map addresses different Human Resource aspects (perspectives) through structured HR leadership competencies in the map. From these different HR perspectives, CIPD Map addresses most HR obligations at all stages in management. That is, it covers all levels and stages in organization leadership like entry stage, mid stage, senior stage, and finally executive stage (CIPD website). Specifically, CIPD proffession Map covers eight behaviors and ten professional sectors in HR leadership in the four leadership stages mentioned above.
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Competency Model on the other hand addresses HR leadership competencies at different leadership levels and stages, just like CIPD Map. Therefore, it addresses the HR leadership at entry stage, mid stage, senior stage, and executive stage from nine competencies perspective (SHRM website). Similar to CIPD Map, SHRM competency model focuses on eight HR behaviors in addressing the leadership competencies. Different from CIPD Map, the technical competency in SHRM Model is explained as implicating the application of the other eight behavioral competencies in the model. Therefore, a more genuine comparison can be achieved on the leadership competencies addressed in both CIPD Map and SHRM Model specifically on Human resource management.
In comparing the two approaches, both address HR leadership in three perspectives. They both address leadership at professional perspectives, behaviors perspective and different HR stages (Ulrich 2013). For instance, CIPD Profession Map addresses professional in leadership from the HR knowledge perspective. Therefore, HR knowledge dictates what a leader knows and does in line of duty, a prospect also supported in the SHRM Model on HR expertise replicating a technical competency in the model. These knowledge perspectives are applicable in diverse HR occupations irrespective of location or region. In addition, HR knowledge applies to all organizations irrespective of their size or shape in the market, a concept which creates bases for all eight behaviors in HR leadership activities.
SHRM Competency Model addresses business acumen as the leadership potential to critically think and make appropriate decisions in time with respect to the business situation at hand. This behavior approach is addressed in the CIPD Profession Map as decisive thinker behavior (CIPD website). It portrays similar characters of HR leadership where specifically, entrepreneurial characters of making potential and critical decision apply in the leadership role.
Critical evaluation is another leadership behavior addressed in both HR approaches. SHRM Competency Model specifies the critical evaluation behavior as the bases for logical and creative decision making in an organization. This follows step by step initiatives observed in critical evaluation of a situation (Lussier & Hendon 2013). Therefore, the effectiveness and worthiness of a decision is determined in critical thinking in evaluation. This behavior is perceived as personality credibility in the CIPD professional map, which filters decisions through critical evaluation. Even though the behaviors are indicated differently, their application in HR leadership behavior asserts to criticality and creativity application in evaluations for decision making.
Both approaches also observe global effectiveness of HR leadership, in addition to cultural effectiveness (Ulrich 2013). These are addressed as outcomes of positive influence of the environment and the society with respect to public relations. From SHRM Model, the leadership effectiveness is first observed inside the organization before being externally effective. Therefore, HR leaders have to model their organization internally, if good public relation is to be realized. Even though CIPD Map places this concept behavior from the HR role, applying skills in leadership replicates enhanced effectiveness. Therefore, utilizing the influence skills in HR leadership leads to global effectiveness, as well as cultural effectiveness.
The next comparison from the two approaches relate to the leading, directing and planning of the activities and progress of an organization. This is the primary definition of leadership in HR, to lead and direct, thus HR leaders avoid centralism and internalization behaviors (Lussier & Hendon 2013). CIPD Map presents such leadership behaviors as being determined to deliver, in avoiding centralism. SHRM Model on the other hand presents navigation in leadership behavior as being goal focused, thus supporting determination to deliver.
Quality communication is an essential behavior in leadership characters (Garey 2011). SHRM Model views communication as the key to organizational competency, while CIPD Map characterized this leadership behavior as curious way of acquiring and sending information. This behavior presents the essence of searching to acquire the information needed even when it is unavailable. HR leaders are therefore determined to look for essential communication and implement it where possible within the organization. Consultation would therefore be effected through quality communication, thus presenting another HR leadership behavior (Armstrong & Taylor 2014). CIPD Map positions consultation as the courage expressed while challenging a concept or idea. Prior to SHRM Model, consultation enables a leader to build relationships, hence getting the best from the challenges.
Relationship management is another behavior expressed in SHRM Model as leadership ability to instill togetherness in organization performance. This brings about team work in performance, which is a character every HR leader strives to attain and maintain. In CIPD Map, the relationship character is observed as a collaborative behavior implying team work development as supported in SHRM Model. Therefore, Leadership competency in teamwork building is developed through collaborative measures for excellent performance.
In relation to maintaining all the behavioral characters discussed above, being a role model as a leadership characterizes strategies in development of organizational behavior. HR leader should practice being a role model to employees and staff, a character which grows in them for development of ethical practices in an organization (McCarter & Schreyer 2000). SHRM Model refers such unity in behaviors as development of ethical practices. In CIPD Map, such leadership behavior is addressed similarly as a role model behavior, which leads to development and maintenance of ethical practices.
In general, all the above HR competencies happen to be related to the actual HR roles in an organization (Garey 2011). For instance, the characters of leadership, motivation and even personal credibility are involved in upholding HR leadership. Therefore, leadership characters would avoid internalization and centralism as noted in the two approaches, SHRM competency model and CIPD professional Map. Also, HR leader should present role model characters for creation and maintenance of relationships, which would translate to team work and ethical practices in an organization (Becker & Huselid 2001). Additionally, quality communication would enhance flow of activities, while ensuring efficient and effective problem solving within an organization.
Notably, all the eight behaviors in HR leadership are addressed in SHRM competency model at similar interpretations noted in CIPD professional Map. Since the HR competencies addressed are related to HR roles, their application would lead to professional HR performance. Moreover, the two models address HR leadership behavior at the four basic stages of HR leadership which are, entry stage, mid stage, senior stage, and the final stage. Therefore, HR leadership can be guided by the two models with respect to leadership roles applicable, irrespective of leadership level or stage (Armstrong & Taylor 2014).
References
Armstrong, M & Taylor, S 2014, Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice (13th ed.), London: Kogan Page
Becker, B & Huselid, M 2001, The HR scorecard: Linking people, strategy, and performance, Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Describe the aggregate record of data that you will use.
Explain how you will ensure the quality of the data collected
SAMPLE ANSWER
Question
In many studies, data collected is used to provide insights about the areas of study. Assumptions are made through analysis of the data collected on various aspects. Aggregate data is therefore collection or related items that help the researcher or an individual to make some inferences (Greek interview, 2014). The aggregate record of data that I will use is about the products that tops in terms of sales for a particular employee in an organization. I will have to query several tables so that I can have information that will help me to make informed decision pertaining to the future operations and the strategies to adopt.
Quality of collected data should be safeguarded, as this will help to make correct assumptions. Enhancing quality of this data will be achieved throughout the process of data retrieving, application and after use. The information must be verified when it is input in the computer system to ensure that it is the correct information. Any mistake that may be made during this stage will affect the quality of data. The right software must be used to make this analysis to guarantee quality of data. The data should as well be free from any interference from third parties. The information must be well kept in safer locations and any data in the software must have a password that will deter people with malice from gaining access to the same. Furthermore, I will ensure quality of this data by using query function to examine information in various tables to help me to reflect properties of many groups of rows to ascertain whether indeed the date reflects the situation at hand (Greekinterview, 2014).
The data collocated must be well preserved and stored in safer locations to avoid any form of interference
Conflicting statistics exist related to women offenders. The number of women in the prison system, on parole, and on probation has increased steadily since the 1990s (Glaze, 2010). According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (2010), however, women comprised only about 25% of all arrests in the United States in 2010 and are only 18% of the total correctional population. The latter might be due to the fact that women are less likely to commit violent offences that result in correctional sentences. But why do women comprise only 18% of the correctional population when 25% of all arrests are women? This leads to questions related to differential treatment between women and men offenders in the criminal justice system at the law enforcement, court, and/or correctional levels.
For this Assignment, you think about types of crimes that women offenders are more likely to commit. Also, you consider the treatment of women compared to men in the criminal justice system.
The Assignment (3 pages):
• Briefly describe two types of crimes that are more likely to be committed by women than men. Reference the FBI web resource listed in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Explain possible reasons each type of crime is more likely to be committed by women than men.
• Explain how women offenders may be treated differently than men offenders in the criminal justice system at the law enforcement, court, and/or correctional level(s).
• For your two examples, explain possible reasons for the differential treatment.
• Article: Flemke, K. (2009). Triggering rage: Unresolved trauma in women’s lives. Contemporary Family Therapy: An International Journal, 31(2), 123–139.
• Article: National Criminal Justice Reference Service. (2011). Women & girls in the criminal justice system—Facts and figures. Retrieved from http://www.ncjrs.gov/spotlight/wgcjs/facts.html
• Article: Spjeldenes, S., & Goodkind, S. (2009). Gender differences and offender reentry: A review of the literature. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 48(4), 314–335.
SAMPLE ANSWER
NCJRS (2012) reported that of the estimated 12,196,959 arrests made that year, 26.2% were female arrests. The office of the juvenile also reported female arrests as having accounted for 28% of the total arrests in 2010. The bureau of justice statistics revealed results of midyear jail inmates in 2013 as 10.9% being female inmates while male inmates were 4.2%. Justice statistics provided accounts of annual probation survey and parole from the total persons supervised in 2012 Jan –Dec stated that 24% of all adults on probation that year were females and 11% of all adults on parole were women with 19% of women on supervision in 2010 (NCJRS, 2012). These percentages clearly reveal that women offenders are increasing leading to more arrests, probation, and supervision in correctional centers.
Two types of crimes likely to be committed by women
Two of the most common crimes that women commit are prostitution and child/infant homicide. While prostitution is recognized as an old crime globally, it is reported to be the only crime that overtakes crimes committed by males in the criminal justice system. Women have fewer rates of arrest for virtually all crimes. Unlike men and women are quick to learn and correct their wrongs avoiding breaking the law at all costs. Child or infant homicide is another crime that women are likely to commit than men with infant homicide happening a few days after the birth of a child. Female arrests for prostitution crime category have been on high accounting for 30-40% of all arrests made on women (FBI, 2010). Infant homicide rates increased from 4.3 per 100000 in the 70’s to 9.2 per 100000 in 2000 (Child trends, 2014). Half of all infant homicides occur before the first trimester after birth.
Possible reasons for likelihood to be committed by women
Prostitution and infant homicide are most likely to be carried out by women for various reasons. Women indulge in prostitution as a source of income to fend for themselves and their children. With tough economic times, no employment opportunities and chances to get wealthy men who are willing to give them money for a little fun, women go for prostitution. While not all jobless women resort to prostitution as a means of getting their income, many countries shun prostitution as a vice and a moral wrong. Prostitution lowers the dignity of human worth limiting people to selling their dignity for money. States attempt to deal with morality and uphold virtues by arresting prostitutes. Infant homicide is a crime that has been reported amongst new mothers and women (Child trends data bank, 2014). Newborn children suffer the greatest risks of infant homicide as they are under the care of their mothers all the time. Infants depend on their mothers for nursing, feeding and totally everything. After child delivery, most women go through postnatal depression, which has been reported to be a factor for infant homicide. Women living with stepfathers of their children have also been noted to commit infant and child homicide.
Different treatment for women offenders than men
Despite the crimes and offences, the treatment of female offenders is lenient as compared to male offenders. It has been noted that women receive fewer sentences and punishment for similar crimes committed by male offenders. A study on male and female offenders in England in 2009 revealed that there were differences in sanctions given to men and women in the court. Female defendants for instance received fines as compared to male offenders at 77% female and male 63%. Lower female defendants received community sentences as compared to men who received suspended sentences. Immediate custody is more likely for men than women with 10% of males and 3% of females (NCJSR, 2011). Women seemed to be serving proportionately shorter custodial sentences as compared to men. Most women are remanded or serve shorter sentences for non-violent crimes than men. Results from gender differences and offender reentry revealed that all offender genders have the same categories of needs including mental health problems, vocational training, education, treatment for substance abuse and social support (Glaze, 2010). To benefit from the incarceration, their needs should be weighed and addressed appropriately for their benefits argues NCJSR (2009).
Possible reasons for differential treatment
Women are likely to receive better treatment than men in prison are. Self-harm incidents amongst women were higher accounting for 25.8% in 2013. 1549 cases of self-harm were reported amongst women as compared to 201 cases reported for men. The community orders for women are likely to have higher successful percentages than men thus leading to the gender differences. In 2013/14 for example 95% females and 75.8%males received successful community orders (FB1, 2010). Proven adjudications for women are at higher rates than men. The number of women released on a temporary license is also higher than the number of men. According to Flemke (2010), many women offenders have family responsibilities like children and being primary caregivers to the elderly or disabled relatives. It is thus easier for them to receive community projects as they continue taking care of their families.
Applying Systems Thinking to a Public Health Issue
Applying Systems Thinking to a Public Health Issue
Order Instructions:
This week your Learning Resources described various approaches to public health using systems thinking. For this Discussion, bring to mind a public health program or effort you are involved with or might wish to design in the future, and consider how systems thinking might enhance it. Prepare for this Discussion by creating a logic model for this public health program or effort. Be sure to cite your readings this week to support your argument.
Answer the following Questions:
1. Briefly describe your selected program and identify the characteristics of this system.
2. In what ways would using systems thinking help to break down barriers between different departments and different funding sources?
3. Describe some ways in which this system could be tested and validated.
Article:
1. Green, L. W. (2006). Public health asks of systems science: To advance our evidence-based practice, can you help us get more practice-based evidence? American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 406-409.
In Green’s article, the need to unravel the complex forces of public health practices is discussed. The article also addresses the lack of evidence-based practices and lack of reality-based research within the field.
2. Lenaway, D., Sotnikov, S., Corso, L., Millington, W., Halverson, P., & Tilson, H. (2006). Public health systems research: Setting a national agenda. American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 410-413.
As the Institute of Medicine recommended that policy decisions be guided by good scientific evidence, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was called upon to develop a set of guidelines for public health systems. This article describes the CDC’s framework and the emerging research themes.
Summarize these two articles listed below:
Read and evaluate articles making sure to highlight and take notice of each article’s systems thinking approach.
1. Bar-Yam, Y. (2006). Improving the effectiveness of health care and public health: A multiscale complex systems analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 459-466.
2. Fajans, P., Simmons, R., & Ghiron, L. (2006). Helping public sector health systems innovate: The strategic approach to strengthening reproductive health policies and programs. American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 435-440.
Please apply the Application Assignment Rubric when writing the Paper.
I. Paper should demonstrate an excellent understanding of all of the concepts and key points presented in the texts.
II. Paper provides significant detail including multiple relevant examples, evidence from the readings and other sources, and discerning ideas.
III. Paper should be well organized, uses scholarly tone, follows APA style, uses original writing and proper paraphrasing, contains very few or no writing and/or spelling errors, and is fully consistent with doctoral level writing style.
IV. Paper should be mostly consistent with doctoral level writing style.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Applying Systems Thinking to a Public Health Issue
Introduction
Public health practitioners collaboratively attempt to solve complex public health issues embedded within the societal fabric. Solutions to such problem often require the engagement and intervention of key stakeholders ranging from regional systems to local entities. Such multi-participant and multi-level involvement is the center of systems thinking, as a process of the intern-connected influence of parts within a whole. This paper seeks to explore on the question on how systems thinking can be used to solve public health issue that occurred during Hurricane Katrina. While many programs exist to solve the problem, this paper will mainly use the example of weather forecasting.
The proposed program
Public health is presently incorporating the knowledge of social science just like sociology did 40 years ago, in uncovering the complexities of ecologically layered societal and community circumstances, as well as, the various forces within the public health practice (Green, 2006). Since systems thinking is not easy to conceptualize, both the system’s design and analysis serves as the essential means of describing the systems applicability in public health practice. Among the most developed trans-disciplinary collaboration and that is primarily oriented towards systems thinking theoretical context is weather forecasting and modeling. Scientists’ and organizations’ networks from around the globe collaboratively work together towards understanding weather pattern complexities so as to allow timely and accurate weather forecasting
This paper proposes a program where weather forecasting and research model groups can employ a translational model allowing new discoveries made within a field e.g. oceanography to be linked with other new discoveries from other fields to allow the understanding of complex trans-disciplinary relationships. Data from different fields can be brought together, models developed to analyze such data, and optimized models can be developed to disperse derived information to the public and specific end users who will make good use of such information.
Understanding the relationship between land masses, wind flow, water temperature and solar activity among other natural forces can be achieved through an intensive and complex computational modeling of raw data to come up with predictive weather models that can reduce economic devastation and save lives (Lenaway et al,. 2006). Indeed various universities in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have developed and implemented computerized models that can mold complex environmental data e.g. day and night humidity differentials and wind activity at different land elevations as a way of developing improved weather forecasting (Shultz, Russell & Espinel, 2005) However, a critical part of weather forecasting as a component of systems thinking is passing the information to the public.
Hurricane Katrina will forever serve as a constant reminder of accurate weather forecasting and analysis that it did not translate to effective use of information. The tragedy of Katrina was as a result of failed delivery of the systems components (Egan, 2007). Extensive investigation and data collection from a variety of sources resulted in accurate weather forecasting that allowed thousands of people to escape the Katrina’s path; however, the local, state and federal application of knowledge failed, and the devastating outcome remains a challenge to systems thinking.
Despite the promise that systems thinking holds for improved understanding of public health issues, few systems initiatives have been fully developed and implemented. The above proposed program can be tested and implemented by effective management of shared knowledge, as well as, effective transfer of such knowledge between different stakeholders in the systems’ environment. Such management requires sophisticated and comprehensive knowledge infrastructure based on existing and new knowledge integration.
References
Egan, M. J. (2007). Anticipating future vulnerability: Defining characteristics of increasingly critical infrastructure‐like systems. Journal of contingencies and crisis management, 15(1), 4-17.
Green, L. W. (2006). Public health asks of systems science: to advance our evidence-based practice, can you help us get more practice-based evidence?. American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 406.
Lenaway, D., Halverson, P., Sotnikov, S., Tilson, H., Corso, L., & Millington, W. (2006). Public health systems research: setting a national agenda. American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 410.
Shultz, J. M., Russell, J., & Espinel, Z. (2005). Epidemiology of tropical cyclones: the dynamics of disaster, disease, and development. Epidemiologic Reviews, 27(1), 21-35.
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Montreal and Toronto Women in the Great Depression
Montreal and Toronto Women in the Great Depression
Order Instructions:
Montreal and Toronto Women in the Great Depression,
The 1930s were a decade of considerable difficulty for many families in Canada as a result of widespread unemployment, under-employment and low wages. There is a growing literature that examines the particular ways in which women experienced the Great Depression differently than men. You are asked to compare two books that explore the ways women in two major Canadian cities were affected and responded to this decade of hardship. In 1999 Denyse Baillargeon published Making Do, an English translation of her study examining the role housewives in Montreal played in family strategies of economic survival. In 2010 Katrina Srigley published Bread winning Daughters, which examines the paid work and family dynamics of young working women in Toronto during the Great Depression. Each of these books contributes to our understanding of the lives of women in Canada during that difficult decade.
Your assignment is to write a comparative essay based only on these two books that discusses the following:
1. the impact of unemployment on women in urban families
2. women’s coping strategies
3. gender dynamics within these families
4. the kinds of primary sources each author used to research her topic and how you think these sources may have influenced the historian’s interpretation.
5. a comparison of the relative merits of oral histories as a window onto the lives of women
6. a comparison of the perspective each book offers us on women and their work during the Great Depression
7. whether you preferred one book over the other, and if so, why.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Montreal and Toronto Women in the Great Depression
‘Breadwinning daughters’ is a literature done by Katrina Srigley and addresses oral histories of Toronto women in depression during the year 1930. Srigley contacts an oral interview on 80 women who express their sense of loss and regret on the depression period. The women struggle, efforts and strength in Toronto is expressed in this book throughout, an aspect which compares to Montreal women struggle as expressed by Denyse Baillargeon in ‘Making Do’. Even though both Montreal and Toronto women efforts expressed in the books show strength and dedication, each book has different assertions on what end of depression reflected to their live. For instance, Baillargeon affirmed that working Montreal women lost their job when they got married, while Srigley affirmed that women got liberation after child birth, while others lost their focus completely. However, both books come to one conclusion that, gender itself during the depression period was typically less important compared to race, ethnicity, or even the individual living standards.
The impact of unemployment on both Montreal and Toronto women in urban families was almost similar. In Montreal, Baillargeon confirmed that only few women were employed in heavy industry, railways or construction. Most of the women in Montreal were household workers, while others were employed in restaurants and family businesses like shops. For the employed women in factories, their duties were specifically clothing, food and catering duties. Only a few educated women found their way into companies were they worked as secretaries, as others secured teaching as the alternative professional option. Notably, Baillargeon made a conclusion that women were expected to give up their job immediately they got married. In comparison to Srigley work on Toronto women, similar unemployment impacts were evident during the depression period. Similar to Montreal women, depression ended the Toronto women dream of getting good employment in addition to childbearing which terminated their post secondary education. Different from Baillargeon expression of Montreal women, Srigley revealed a more prominent future for the Montreal women, who presumed education after childbearing.
The coping strategies by both Toronto and Montreal women were similar. The writers in both books express women as being compatible and accepting any job available in order to cope with the depression period. For instance, Srigley noted that Toronto women were focused to perform any world job irrespective of the type, an aspect which led to most women leaving their education system to work in efforts to cope to the depression period. Similarly, Baillargeon noted that Montreal women performed any available job, with only a few educated women working as secretaries and teachers. Baillargeon specified that most women were either household workers, employed as waiters in restaurants, or maybe employed at a private business or shop. Additionally, women who worked in factories only performed duties related to clothing and food. In Toronto and Montreal, women performed any available job as coping strategies during the depression period.
The gender dynamics within both literatures considers women as the sole center of labor and family economies. For instance, Srigley argued that young women in Toronto were perceived as the centre for labor and the overall family breadwinning, an aspect which he elaborates as forming women cultural and economic backgrounds in shaping they coping ways to the depression period. Similar concepts are evident in Baillargeon literature where he argued that Montreal women updated the strategies their mothers used when they were growing up in poor families. This concept indicates that the role of women in economic and labor was an adapted strategy for children to learn from parents. Baillargeon added that purchase of cheap foods, sewing and patching cloths as well as postponing expensive essentials were the common economic strategies adapted by the Montreal women, which replicates similar centrality of women in labor and breadwinning during the depression period.
Notably, both Baillargeon and Srigley utilized oral histories in their interviews to come up with a conscience assertion of the women position in labor and economics during the depression period. Srigley performed his interview on Toronto women during his research. He used more than 80 interviews with women who specifically lived and worked in Toronto during the depression period of the 1930s. Baillargeon on the other hand utilized similar ground to come up with his assertion on women labor and economics. However, Baillargeon made a smaller number of interviews by interviewing only 30 Montreal women. He however used similar grounds of ensuring that the women he interviewed lived and worked in Montreal during the depression period of 1930s. These concepts ensured a more perfect research method such that the information collected was more reliable for the general assertion that, women played the labor and economics role during the depression period.
With respect to both authors’ concepts in their research presentation, a common assertion can be attained on women responsibility during the depression period. However, Srigley book which interviewed 80 Toronto women can be more reliable for a general assertion, compared to Baillargeon book which interviewed only 30 Montreal women. This follows the statistical reliability on diverse data collection for a general assertion. Therefore, the percentage error in Srigley data would be low compared to Baillargeon data hence making his assertions more reliable.
The Individual and the Community
Drawing on the readings and lectures for this topic, examine the tensions between the claim to individual autonomy and the obligation to conform to the expectations of the wider community. Answer with reference to ONE of the following issues: immigration, immunisation, obesity, euthenasia, same sex marriage.
based on this authors and readings, please read them and make it professional.
1.* Theodore Zeldin, An Intimate History of Humanity (1994), pp. 43-54.
2.* Alain de Botton, The Consolations of Philosophy (2000), pp. 3-42.
3. Richard Tarnas, The Passion of the Western Mind: Understanding the
Ideas that have Shaped our World View (1991), pp. 282-290.
4. Lawrence Stone, ‘The public and private stately homes of England,
1500-1900’, Social Research, vol. 58, no. 1(1991), pp. 227- 251.
5.* Will Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy: An Introduction (2002), pp. 212- 221.
6. C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination (New York: Oxford University Press, 1959), pp. 9-25.
7. Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origins and Spread of Nationalism (revised edn, 1991), pp. 37-46.
8. Katherine Betts, The Great Divide: Immigration Politics in Australia (1999), pp. 97-134.
above 8 readings are important!
Helena Grehan and Andrew Webster: ‘Introduction to the Unit: Nothing speaks for itself’
Topic One: The individual and the community Lecture 2 (Tuesday, 25 February)
Helena Grehan and Andrew Webster: ‘Autonomous individuals and imagined communities’
WEEK 2
Lecture 3 (Monday, 3 March)
Andrew Webster (History): ‘The Enlightenment creates the individual’
Peta Bowden (Philosophy): ‘Women’s autonomy and the Pill’ WEEK 3
SAMPLE ANSWER
Individual autonomy is the freedom that allows people to do things, within the ethical acceptance, without external manipulation. It is the freedom that allows people to undertake what they deem right in their conscience without external control, as long as they are of stable mind (Wright, 1995). The concept of individual is of central concern, especially, within the diverse community. Several personal issues that should be left at the discretion of the concerned individuals are, at times, greatly controlled by the communities’ perception about them. For instance, issue such as immigration, immunization, obesity, euthanasia and same sex marriage among others are always at the core of individual autonomy with regards to their existence in the community.
For this case, analysis is given to the issue of immunization and individual autonomy as well as how the community plays a role to the effect. Immunization is normally carried out to prevent development of serious health problems and illnesses. For instance immunization against polio or whooping cough. Some of the diseases in which immunization are carried against are sometimes highly contagious. If, there is an immunization against them, the community always have a feeling that it should be mandatory to all individuals of a community who require it (Wright, 1995). However, according to the medicine and health fraternity, individuals have a right to determine what form of health action is administered to them.
The members of a community believes that their general safety and protection is more important than an individual’s freedom or rights. This simply means that, when the community’s interest overrides the rights and freedom of an individual, the community’s interests are prioritized. For instance, a highly contagious disease, but which a vaccine to it is available; then immunization is compulsory to all individuals of a community affected(Wright, 1995). Nonetheless, these moves are contradictory the individual’s autonomy with regards to medication. In this case, community manipulates the actions of individuals.
Although, in some cases individuals may have a free will to decide whether to undertake an immunization against a disease or not. This is only possible when such a disease to which immunization is offered is not easily spread. The individual in this case has all the rights and freedom to decide whether or not to be offered the medication. Nevertheless, the community can still manipulate the decision through sensitization and encouragements that in turn influences an individual’s decision. Individual autonomy is fundamental for a sound community(Wright, 1995), although it is highly regulated by the community itself.
The DEADLINE is DECEMBER 29, 2014. This is a Graduate course. Please use double-spaced format. Responses should be in APA style and must include citations and a bibliography. You are strongly advised to access a variety of information from academic journals and other scholarly works. Ensure that your answers are well-organized and that they respond to the specific question asked, display the range and depth of your learning, and demonstrate your ability to conform to the analysis, writing, and research standards of master’s level work. The question must be answered fully. Do not make your sentences too wordy. Each question needs to be 10 pages and should have at least 9 references.
Question 1
The city of Gainesville, population 54,000, has an undocumented population of immigrants totaling an estimated 3,200 people. This population is clustered largely in the southeastern portion of the city. Law enforcement is faced with the challenge of protecting this population from crime, while at the same time law enforcement is also charged with enforcing laws that prohibit illegal immigration. If law enforcement enforces the immigration policies, then the undocumented immigrants may be hesitant to call the police when they need assistance. As a result, however, crime within this area may increase. If law enforcement does not enforce these laws, then it may be neglecting its duty. What should the police department do? As a part of this, please identify the different stakeholders and constituents impacted by this policy, and assess any social, political, cultural, and ethical implications.
Question 2
What is leadership? As a part of your definition, please differentiate between leaders, managers, and followers. Explore the principles of leadership and how each of the following leadership theories can explain, shape, and improve the governance and management of public policy: Great Leader Theory; Servant Leadership; Transformational Leadership; and Situational Leadership; Be sure to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each theory explored.
SAMPLE ANSWER
PART 1
The city of Gainesville has a sizeable portion of illegal immigrants just like most places in the US. The police department is at a loss as to the action required in dealing with these people. Since they have a mandate to deal with illegal immigrants, they feel they cannot just ignore them. However, dealing with illegal immigration may cause the immigrants to refrain from sharing information with the police which is valuable for fighting crime. Once the illegal immigrants stop contacting police when they have problems, the city may become more prone to criminal activity.
The police department needs to make a choice between two sets of crime. First is illegal immigration which in itself is a violation of the laws in the country (Buchannan, 2006). Second is the lack of information on criminal activities or criminals operating in the city. Thus, the decision made should depend of solution of the greater crime. Research indicates that there is a concerted effort by many state governments in dealing with illegal immigrants. There is a consensus that this group of people is a valuable resource that can help the country develop further. There is also the need for tracking all people within the country for the purposes of planning and providing mandated services. All these factors indicate that the police department needs to consider all the facts before taking a decision.
The recommendation is that the police department overlook the fact that there are illegal immigrants and deal with the provision of security for all people. It is important that all stakeholders be involved in the decisions made and also in keeping Gainesville crime free. The mandate of the police department is to ensure that there is law and order. This can only be achieved if people within the city trust law enforcement enough to volunteer relevant information. The problem with dealing with illegal immigrants at the law enforcement level is that it alienates an important constituent that operates behind the scenes. Since illegal immigrants do not usually have the requisite documentation to operate as normal citizens, they are enlisted in an underground economy that may be a breeding ground for crime (Archibold, 2010). The people that are in that system are largely illegal immigrants making them valuable in combating crime.
There is a major consensus amongst US citizens that there is a problem of illegal immigration. However, the problem is that no one seems to have an idea of how to fix the system. There are many people that are affected by illegal immigration starting with the citizens, the government, legal immigrants and the illegal immigrants themselves. People that directly work with immigrants include lawyers, , social workers, teachers, healthcare providers, small business owners and law enforcement. The main problem that they cite is the lack of integration and assimilation of immigrant communities in the US. The illegal immigrants must seek education for their children and must have access to healthcare facilities. Thus, they divide opinions among many people since some hold that they cost more than they earn for the system. The policy of overlooking the status of illegal immigrants for the sake of maintaining security is largely based on the actions that have been witnessed in various states.
The most common sentiments by members of the American society were that there needed to be more religious tolerance, diversity, integration, citizen engagement, contribution, positive impact, defused tension and access. The society is divided into both liberal and conservative citizens. The major concern for the conservatives is how much money is spent on immigrants in addition to what they can legally do. There also seems to be a misconception about the current immigration law. There seems to be popular support for dealing with illegal immigrants. The terms that are associated with illegal immigrants are mostly about social security. For the immigrants themselves, they simply would want to be treated humanely. There seems to be a general feeling of discrimination with illegal immigrants that are well educated and rich being favoured unlike the poor and uneducated. The law enforcement and immigration officers often speak to the illegal immigrants with harshness and associate them with criminality. Several authors on immigration around the world seem to be in consensus that immigration officials have a common mindset in associating illegal immigration with criminality.
President Obama has severally stated his desire to reform the immigration sector in the US (Obama, 2012). One piece of legislation that is expected to be passed by congress is the DREAM act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors). The act is meant to target people who immigrated to the US before they were 18 years old and who have lived for over five years before the bill was crafted. The act targets those people that have been declared as having good moral character and have graduated from high schools in the US. The people that serve for a period of two years in the military of serve two years in a four year institution of higher education qualify for a six year temporary residence with the option of making it permanent when the period lapses. Although there are many issues with legislation of immigration in the US, there is still a genuine concern that the enforcement of the DREAM act would be tricky. The first point of contention is how to determine a person’s moral character. The people that are opposed to such legislation argue that it may reward illegal immigration and insist that there must be more punitive action against illegal immigrants. There are many states in the US that already have a version of the DREAM act.
The laws that allow for illegal immigrants to access basic facilities and services are informed by the fact that illegal immigrants might be pushed to crime if they do not have access to basic amenities. In California for example, plans are underway for the illegal immigrants in the state to be awarded driving licenses. The state government thought it prudent since there were increased cases of people driving before they reach the defined age and causing many accidents. There were also increasing cases of theft of motor vehicles by people that were unknown to the system. The best way for dealing with these vices was to allow illegal immigrants access to the department of motor vehicles so that their driving is monitored. Such laws are progressive and are informed by the need of enlisting a large number of citizens in reporting crime. Thus, the best way of dealing with illegal immigrants is not by deporting them but by registering them so that they may make contributions to the societies they inhabit.
The problem with illegal immigrants is not the activities that they involve themselves in. Most people illegally immigrate to the US in search for better life for themselves and their families (Cafferty, 2007). These people are discriminated against by the citizens of the US and are accused of committing acts that they have not. Data on criminality indicates that the most likely people to commit crime are those of American decent. This data was sourced from people that are institutionalised across the country and reveals that citizens are ten times more likely to commit crime that immigrants (Ousey, & Kubrin, 2009). Therefore, the notion that illegal immigrants or immigrants in general are responsible for a lot of ills that bedevil the society is biased and is not based on fact. As a matter of fact, discrimination and negative labelling of immigrants reflects intolerance on the part of the citizens. The singular concern for many immigrants is that they be treated more humanely. However, acts of legislation like the DREAM act are not sufficient in themselves to enlist the help of immigrants in fighting crime. There must be a concerted effort on the part of individual state governments in fighting discrimination of illegal immigrants so that they can volunteer information necessary for fighting crime.
There is much emotion that is elicited whenever immigration is discussed. Partisans on both sides of the debate are usually more concerned with support their positions through conjecture and half-truths rather than with hard facts. The simple fact is that not all illegal immigrants are bad (Camarota, & Vaughan, 2009). While illegal information is in itself a crime, it is not the worst. Modern societies need not act without consideration of all facts. There are many reasons that people immigrate to the US. The major reason is that the country offers opportunities for prosperity in addition to it being a beacon of freedom and democracy. People that choose to immigrate to the US do so with the expectation of enjoying the opportunities there. Therefore, it would be unfair to assume that all those that immigrate illegally are bad. Since research has shown that the immigrants are less likely to commit crimes when compared to natives, the assumption is that they would be invaluable in reporting crimes they witness but are not participants in. what they simply need is empowerment and an equal opportunity.
Immigration as a debate is multifaceted. There are many microeconomic, macroeconomic, and humanitarian aspects that must not be overlooked. The main purpose of the data given by partisans is usually to convict or acquit immigrants in the court of public opinion. However, the fact is that there is an abundance of data that indicates that illegal immigrants are the least contributors to crime in the US. President Obama conceded that the major problem with illegal immigration is not that it makes a mockery of the people trying to immigrate legally but rather that it creates an underground economy where there are unscrupulous businesses that see the opportunity to exploit a cheap labour source (Camarota, 2006). These businesses cut corners by skirting taxes and paying illegal immigrants less than the minimum wage. There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US today with most of them coming from Mexico (Hoefer, Rytina, & Baker, 2012). These people work in deplorable conditions where the health and safety issues are disregarded. This is a clear indication that avoiding dealing with illegal immigrants leads to breaking of numerous other laws. There is a misinformed notion among Americans that equates the underground economy brought on by illegal immigration with crime (Rumbaut, & Ewing, 2007).
There is no doubt that illegal immigration puts pressure on the system. The one area, other than income and social status that affects all stakeholders is crime. No individual is immune to criminal activity. There is thus a need of enlisting all stakeholders in combating crime. This cannot be achieved by vilifying illegal immigrants. More important however is the fact that these immigrants would be invaluable to the system as they are assimilated in all strata of the society. They are thus a rich source of information that would be important in reducing criminal activity in Gainesville.
Illegal immigration is a red hot in America and especially in the southwest. This is the region that borders Mexico. There is a debate between the two prominent political parties in the US. The democrats view immigrants and their collaborators as an important voting bloc during elections while republicans view them as social conservatives that will eventually vote for them. This political issue is usually at the heart of many discussions. Thus, the decision by the Gainesville police department to overlook the illegal status of immigrants plays into the hands of politicians. It has been reported that democrats prefer keeping the status quo since they advocate for less stiffer action against illegal immigrants thus ensuring their support during elections. However, republicans are much harsher and they advocate for deportation of illegal immigrants. Depending on the political tide in Gainesville, there are many political gains to be reaped for the existence of illegal immigrants.
Illegal immigration is a point of contention for many Americans since the immigrants are viewed as being direct competitors for available jobs with citizens. The jobs that they perform are in competition with those done by economically deprived citizens. The debate is usually between people in the low and high end income brackets in the US with those on the high end supporting illegal immigrants since they are more hardworking and require less pay. There was a shift in focus after 9/11 that made people more wary of the unsecured border with Mexico that may be a route for influx of criminals. However, this was an overreaction as not all immigrants are criminals. The events of 2006 in France made governments around the world more aware of the problems that might arise from having a large immigrant population that is impoverished.
There is uproar in the US due to the fact that the president is willing to change immigration laws to grant illegal immigrants legal status. However, the problem is that no executive action can be taken without consultation with congress. While some people, especially on the republican side feel that illegal immigrants are a burden, there is the question of ethics. One of the most fundamental factors that the police division in Gainesville should consider is that ultimately, immigration involves human beings. Thus, they should be treated in the most humane way. This does not however mean that they should be granted legal status against the rules and laws. The important thing to consider is that the lack of security is a threat to all other laws, rules and rights. The mandate of any police division is to ensure that the citizenry is well protected. This entails having the relevant information at all times in order to curb any planned and intentional action against innocent civilians.
Allowing illegal immigrants to be a source of information is not easy. This is because the citizens living around them will demand contrary action. Thus, there will be action against the police department from the legal residents of Gainesville. While this is to be expected, it is prudent to consider that any acts of insecurity will be blamed on the police department. Therefore, the police must be able to defend their actions to the public. This is no mean feat as disregarding the illegal status of illegal immigrants is tantamount to a circumvention of the law. The social impact of having illegal immigrants is minimal as the population of Gainesville is already cosmopolitan. Therefore, there is expected to be little change in any actions that the police take towards illegal immigrants since there is no way of telling the difference between legal and illegal immigrants at face value. The contrary option of demanding to see the papers of any suspected person would amount to profiling which is against the laws and ethics.
The movement of people from one place to another often results in the exchange of cultures and consequently acculturation. Gainesville is already a cosmopolitan city. The geographic dynamics of the city places it in close proximity to Mexico where most illegal immigrants originate. Thus, the cultural influence that is already prevalent in the city is of mixed origin. The population that is not Mexican will nonetheless experience a degree of influence from having illegal immigrants. One of the most fundamental aspects about culture is language. Most illegal immigrants do not speak English and hence would require effort on the part of the US citizens in communicating with them. Most illegal immigrants are employed below the minimum wage and thus are in odd jobs and those for the low in society. They include house helps and gardeners. These people rarely speak any English and thus require the citizens to learn a bit of their indigenous languages, in most cases Spanish, or the immigrants themselves learn English. The circumstances thus create a conducive environment for exchange of cultures. This is assuming that allowing illegal immigrants to stay and be a source of information for security reasons amounts to granting them legal status.
Back in 2010, the state of Arizona passed a law that required police to check the immigration status of suspected illegal aliens. The law criminalized being in the state without the necessary documentation. This law was met with numerous protests and marches around the US. These protests, organised in May, were aimed at voicing the disapproval of having draconian laws that were unfair to some people. The major source of the problem was that civilians were being victimized just for being suspected of having no legal status. The process of checking legal status would have been unfair to certain races that were suspected of not being natives. These included mostly Mexicans and blacks. This law allowed for racist acts and unfair treatment of some individuals. It exposed the need for serious reforms to the immigration sector in the US.
The immigration crisis in the US has led to initiatives by different states to try and alleviate the situation as the federal government continues to drag its feet with passing legislation that will allow for humane treatment of suspected illegal aliens in the country. Most of the opinions from different quotas argue anywhere from deporting illegal immigrants to allowing them to acquire American citizenship. One thing that is not in doubt is that regardless of the statuses of suspected illegal immigrants, there must be humane ways of treating them. This entails allowing them to have access to basic facilities and services including health, security and education. The action of the Gainesville police department to allow illegal immigrants to phone in and share information or make enquiries can be construed as allowing access to basic services. It ensures that the people are treated in a humane manner and that there genuine concerns are addressed.
The alternative action would be for the police to deny illegal immigrants access to state security. This apart from denying the police access to important information can lead to the proliferation of crime. Human beings have an inherent need of being in a community and having an identity. Thus, denying illegal immigrants’ access to the police can be construed as denying them access to the community in Gainesville. This would be counterproductive to the economy of the city as well as to the reduction in crime. The most important thing to consider is that not all illegal aliens are predisposed to commission of crime and that most of them contribute positively to the communities they live in since they do lowly jobs that many Americans prefer not to.
Illegal immigrants are a problem in many societies around the world. They have to be understood and legislated from numerous perspectives. The city of Gainesville is not alone in regards to looking for ways to deal with them. While the city is mandated to look out for the safety and security of its entire population, it must nonetheless prioritize. The integrity of the whole city can only be maintained by ensuring that no people residing within its borders are marginalized. The police division must realize that it thrives on sharing of information with the population. Therefore, it must, in principle, safeguard the opinions, information and rights of these people. This entails giving the illegal immigrants the freedom to report crime and access police services in anticipation of when the state of Florida or the entire country of the US passes legislation to comprehensively deal with the problem of illegal immigration.
References
Archibold, R.C. (2010, June 20). In Border Violence, Perception if Greater Than Crime Statistics. The New York Times, A16.
Buchannan, P. (2006). State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion Conquest of American. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press.
Cafferty, J. (2007). The Frauds, Bunglers, Liars, and Losers Who Are Hurting America: It’s Getting Ugly Out There. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Camarota, S. A. & Vaughan, J. (2009). Immigration and Crime: Assessing a Conflicted Issue. Center for Immigration Studies. Retrieved Dec 22, 2014 from http://www.cis.org
Hoefer, M., Rytina, N., & Baker, B.C. (2012). Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2011. Office of Immigration Statistics Policy Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Retrieved Dec 22, 2014 from http://www.dhs.gov/elibrary/assets/statistics/publications/ill_pe_2011.pdf
Ousey, G. C., & Kubrin, C. E. (2009). Exploring the Connection between Immigration and Violent Crime Rates in the U.S. Cities, 1980-2000. Social Problems, 56 (3), 447-473.
Rumbaut, R.G., & Ewing, W. (2007). The Myth of Immigrant Criminality and the Paradox of Assimilation: Incarceration Rates Among Native and Foreign-born Men.Washington, DC: Immigration Policy Center
PART 2
Leadership starts out with a common task that needs completion. The person responsible for the completion of the task enlists the help of others in a process of social influence referred to as leadership. To many people, a leader is the person being followed and whose influence others take to heart. The process of leadership requires an individual to lead others towards the achievement of a common purpose.
Often, people fall prey to labeling titles and other individuals. In many cases, leaders are praised whereas managers and followers are disparaged. However, the simple truth is that people that ascribe to these titles are all important to an organization. The manager has traditionally been associated with functions of administration, directing, organizing, budgeting, staffing, controlling and planning (Judge, & Piccolo, 2004). He/she is an individual charged with looking at tasks and objectives. Managers are those individuals that use head skills including financing and daily operations of an organization. They are concerned about an organization’s bottom line, stability, efficiency and other short term objectives. They are about solving problems that occur in an organization and tactical issues. They make sure that they keep emotional distance from people and use their authority and power to direct subordinates into complying with their demands. The main concern for managers is asking the how and when questions. There is a major bone of contention in the way that people interchangeably refer to managers and leaders. There are fundamental differences between the two groups of individuals and their skills and expertise are required in equal measure for organizations to function properly.
Traditionally, leaders are charged with the functions of synthesizing, aligning, innovating, inspiring and reducing organizational boundaries. They are those people that are charged with ensuring that there are changes within an organization and the management of people. Rather than using head skills like managers, they use heart skills and are concerned with compassion, empathy, courage, character and emotional intelligence. They focus on the opportunities that may arise for a business and the possibilities available in the long term. Strategic issues, listening to other people, connecting and asking questions are also central to being an effective leader. Leaders desire for the personal and professional growth of those they lead and serve and are concerned more about asking what and why questions.
On the other hand, followers are the essential people in an organization that perform the line tasks. Engaged followers are more useful to the achievement of organizational goals than passive followers. Passive followers are characterized by being disloyal and less connected, engaged and committed to an organization. They simply follow the directions they are given and on occasion deliver the results expected of them. Passive followers prefer to work independently, are compliant, reactive and rely on their own wisdom, skills and competencies. They are mostly characterized by saying that tasks outside their job description are not theirs. Therefore, organizations much prefer having engaged followers that are loyal, engaged, committed and connected. While they take directions like passive followers, they add their own initiative. They take responsibility for the expected results and are accountable for the tasks they undertake. Good followers are those that collaborate with their managers, leaders and fellow followers. They do not react to situations but are proactive, diligent, thorough and professional in their undertakings. Rather than complain about tasks that are not in their job descriptions, they argue that their organizations are much better with their inputs where needed.
Most bureaucratic organizations have the distinct roles of managers, leaders and followers. However, more organic organizations that are keen on taking the numerous opportunities in the business environment do not have clear distinctions as their roles overlap. Modern organizations like IBM and Cisco do not follow traditional hierarchies as they understand that every individual is important to an organization. The ideal situation is for an individual to espouse all three roles of leadership, management and followership. Every role has its strengths and weaknesses and an organization benefits by having individuals that can grow into either role. Leadership is important as it is concerned with the future outlook. Management is equally important as it is concerned with short term achievements. Followership is indispensable to an organization since it allows for learning and growth.
There are many theories that deal with leadership. One of the theories is the great leader theory. This theory has its genesis in history where people believe that the greatest achievements of human beings have been as a result of great individuals more commonly referred to as heroes. These are highly influential people that had great impacts on others and history. They are those that rely on charisma, wisdom and their own personal intelligence (Hirsch, 2002). Many of the traditional great leaders used their political power in a decisive manner that had historical impacts. The great leader theory is important as it allows for individuals to use their skills and influences to impact others. However, its main weakness lies in the fact that great leaders are in themselves a result of the societies they grow up in. nowadays, collaboration is more important to the society that individual skills.
The great leader theory attempts to underline the importance of individual charisma and intelligence. It states that people that have the natural skills to lead and influence society can be important in the general outlook of a company or other form of organization (James, 2005). Public policy can benefit from such people as they would dilute bureaucracy in the public sector and get things done more promptly and effectively. The most developed societies, albeit having good social structures, can trace their successes to key individuals in their histories. Great leaders include Abraham Lincoln that emancipated the blacks from slavery (Friedman, & Langbert, 2000), Mahatma Gandhi, an immortalized leader in India and Nelson Mandela. These leaders ensured that their societies became better and were credited with the development and growth of those societies. There are many great leaders in the world today. These people have the natural skills to influence and change others. Most of these leaders are found in political spheres. However, leaders in private business that make noticeable impacts in the world are also recognized for their greatness. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are some of the most noticeable leaders in recent times. They defined the organizations that they were associated with and created trends emulated by others. A great leader is that individual that influences others or events in a manner that is memorable.
Another theory of leadership is that of servant leadership. The concept of servant leadership has existed for many years. Most prominent however is the mention of the philosophy by Lao-Tzu, a Chinese philosopher in the Tao Te Ching between 570 BCE and 490 BCE (Wu, 2006). The greatest definition of a servant leader is the leader whose existence followers are barely aware of. Many ancient writers believed that the king, the leader in many traditional societies, considered good things as those that pleased his subjects rather than his own self. This benchmark of a good leader is founded on the concept of servant leadership. The leader in today’s society enjoys many trappings of power at the behest of followers and subjects. However, in democracies the leader must always be consciously aware that he/she is a privileged servant. The concept of servant leadership is also prominent in religious texts. The Gospel of Mark has a text that has Jesus communicating to his followers. He said that he, unlike the lords of the gentiles, was not a ruler but a servant of the people. He cautioned his disciples that if they wanted to lead people, they must first of all agree to be their servants. The greatest act according to Jesus that indicated his nature as a servant was his death for the sake of all mankind. The concept has also been embraced in other religions including Islam that considers the leader of a people as their servant.
Servant leadership can be associated with participative leadership. All other popular forms of leadership including autocratic and laissez-faire do not fully capture the concept of being a servant. A servant leader is guided by the principles of supporting, enabling and encouraging subordinates to realize their full abilities and potential (Hersey, & Blanchard, 1977). The leader encourages his followers to be active in the decision making process. Employee performance and satisfaction is maximized where leaders act as servants.
The concept of servant leadership goes beyond behaviours that are employee related. It is one that calls for a major paradigm shift in the relationship between the leader and his/her subordinates. The major point of focus is not on the leader and his/her actions but rather on the outcomes that are evidence in the way that his/her subordinates work. The overall results of an organization and the direction it takes are what evidence servant leadership.
Servant leadership is an important concept in influencing public policy. This is because public policy in itself is based on the ideas and wishes of the majority. For a leader to be effective, he/she must first be able to connect with the needs of those at the grassroot level. The best way of knowing what the needs of the people are is by experiencing them firsthand. Thus, the most effective leader is that person that can connect on a fundamental level with those at the end of a pyramid. Public policies mostly concern themselves with fulfillment of the most basic needs that individuals have. However complex the needs of individuals are, they can best be fulfilled by experiencing them. Servant leadership thus enables people in position of influence and power to be in touch with the needs of their constituents whether they are customers, subordinates or the general population.
Transformational leadership is credited with helping many organizations adopt the new global market trends. In the current society, organizations that have the desire to grow must have transformational leaders. This type of leadership is characterized by energy, passion and enthusiasm. Leaders that aspire to be transformational must have a genuine concern of the wellbeing and development of their subordinates. Transformational leadership is primarily about stimulating the intellect of others (Gupta, 2004). Thus, rather than maintain the status quo, leaders in this category prefer challenging it and creating an environment in which creativity can thrive. Followers are driven towards a direction within which they can explore new ways of doing tasks and learning.
Another characteristic of transformational leadership is individualized consideration (Joyce, & Judge, 2004). Followers are offered support and encouragement so that they can realize their full potential. The most important aspect of this leadership style is having an open door policy that allows leaders to listen to the problems of their followers and take a genuine interest in them. The advantage of having such a policy is that leaders get new insights on different problems and plausible solutions. By taking an interest in followers, ideas are shared and the organization benefits from it.
Transformational leadership calls for inspirational motivation. Leaders ascribing to this style must be able to articulate a clear vision for their followers to follow. There must be an additional effort to not only enable followers to perform to the best of their abilities but also to motivate them towards achievement of personal and organizational goals. Leaders must have an idealized influence on their followers. This is because the leader also doubles up as a role model for his/her followers. The process of emulating a leader and internalizing his/her ideals must start by the followers being able to respect and trust that leader.
Transformational leadership is a very important style. Globalization has opened markets and has eliminated national boundaries that were prohibitive for the performance of business. States are now run as companies as competition for resources stiffens. Leaders that can articulate a shared vision for all individuals in a society or group are important. The developing nations are working hard to ensure that they catch up with developed nations. On the other hand, developed nations are expanding their influence so that they can move their goods and services and grow their societies further. Both groups of countries require transformational leaders to move them forward. The most important point to consider is that the input of all stakeholders must be considered. The leader who occupies a position of power or influence must be able to communicate a common sense of direction for all people. Transformational leadership must be considered in its entirety. The leader must have a genuine concern for his/her followers, must challenge the status quo and must have enthusiasm. Additionally, the leader must ensure that he/she communicates the enthusiasm he/she has to followers. The major strength of transformational leadership is that every person’s perspective gets to be considered. Since people are the most important resource to a society or organization, an abundance of different viewpoints gives an avenue for affecting real changes. The weakness however is that transformational leadership can be slow in effecting change due to the fact that many viewpoints have to be considered. In some instance, giving followers much leverage can be counterproductive as they may take advantage of the space they are given.
Situational leadership is another popular theory. The theory’s main point is that there is no universally best style of leadership. Depending on the task at hand and the objectives that require to be met, a leader can tweak his style accordingly (Blanchard, Zigarmi, & Zigarmi, 1985). Thus, success in leadership can be guaranteed by adaptation to prevalent conditions. A leader must be mature. This means that he/she must not only set high standards but must also take responsibility for meeting them. The leader must have the necessary educational and professional competencies in order to fulfill his/her duties and responsibilities. Maturity also reflects a leader’s ability to influence those around him/her to perform their tasks to the best of their abilities. Situational leadership demands that the leader vary his/her approach to different tasks depending on the circumstances and in consideration of all factors. The most important factors to consider are the maturity of the followers and details of the task at hand. Thus, situational leadership requires leaders at any one time to put more or less emphasis on tasks and more or less emphasis on their relationships with followers. The determinant of the choice to take must be the successful completion of a task.
The developers of the situational leadership theory argue that there are four styles of leadership. The first is telling where leaders tell their followers what they are expected to do and how they are expected to do it (Scouller, 2011). The second style is selling where the leader is expected to provide requisite information and direction for followers. In this style, there is more communication between the leader and the followers. The concept is that the leader must sell his/her concepts to followers and they in turn must buy into these ideals. The third style is participating where the leader focuses more on the relationship between him/her and the followers than on directing them. There is a sense of sharing responsibilities and decision making between the leader and his/her followers. The fourth style is delegating where the leader passes most of his/her responsibilities onto followers. The leader is less involved in the decision making process but still takes a keen interest on progress. The first and second styles are more concerned with completion of tasks whereas the latter two are concerned with increasing the capacity of followers.
Situational leadership theory has been improved by its developers and is described by use of the terms commitment and competence. The former espouses motivation and confidence while the latter entails knowledge, ability and skills. These terms are used to describe the different levels of development within the situational leadership model. The evolution of the theory views development as a stepped process. Individuals that are starting out on a new job approach it with little competence, knowledge, skills and abilities, which is compensated by presence of high enthusiasm, commitment and motivation. Development is thus the process through which people move from being rookies to being professionals in their jobs. The role of the leader is to check the level where a person is and apply the right leadership skills. This means that the leader can change his/her style depending on the perceived level of follower development.
The belief in the evolved situational leadership theory is that new task approach is characterized by low competence in terms of transferable skills but the need and energy to learn. The progression of an individual to a higher job level is determined by the experience he/she acquires and the ability of the leader to support him/her in the different levels. As the individual progresses, he/she has gained some competence but has dropped some commitment to the task due to complexity of tasks to levels higher than previously anticipated. The third level of development is characterized by a variation in competence. This fluctuates between moderate and high knowledge, transferable skills and abilities. The commitment level varies too as the individual has gained some task and role mastery. The fourth level of development is characterized by high competence and commitment.
The application of either style is dependent on the maturity of followers. Maturity is also broken down into four levels. The first level entails people at the bottom end of the maturity spectrum since they lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to function on their own. This group thus needs to be pushed for tasks to be completed. The second level entails people that are willing to work on different tasks but lack the skills and knowledge to perform them. The third level entails people that are willing and ready to help with tasks and have more skills than those in the previous level. The distinguishing factor is that this group is characterized by people with low confidence on their abilities for task completion. The last level contains people that can work on their own. These people have the skills and knowledge required and additionally have the required confidence for task completion. Thus, they are more committed.
Situational leadership is important in the formulation of public policy as it allows for leaders to change tact depending on the competencies and skills of their followers. This strength allows for different levels of progress depending on the people being led. Thus, organizations and societies develop at constant pace regardless of the people being led. The weakness however is that the style does not consider mixed groups of people with varying levels of competence and skills. The theory also assumes that all people in leadership positions have the capacity to tweak their approaches at different turns which is too simplistic. The determination of the competence levels of employees is not a one-time approach and requires collection and collation of relevant data which is a long process that might make the change from one style to another redundant if factors change before determination of maturity is completed.
References
Blanchard, K.H., Zigarmi, P., & Zigarmi. D. (1985). Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness through Situational Leadership. New York: Morrow
Friedman, H.H., & Langbert, M. (2000).Abraham as a Transformational Leader. Journal of Leadership Studies, 7(2), 88-95
Gupta, V. (2004). Impact of Socialization on Transformational Leadership: Role of Leader Member Exchange. South Asian Journal of Management.
Hersey, P., & Blanchard, K. H. (1977). Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources (3rd ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall
Hirsch, E.D. (2002). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy (Third Edition). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company
James, W. (2005). Great Men and Their Environment. Kila, MT: Kessinger Publishing
Joyce, E., & Judge, T.A. (2004). Personality and Transformational and Transactional Leadership: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 901-910.
Judge, T.A., & Piccolo, R.F. (2004). Transformational and Transactional Leadership: A Meta-Analytic Test of Their Relative Validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 755-68.
Scouller, J. (2011). The Three Levels of Leadership: How to Develop Your Leadership Presence, Knowhow and Skill. Cirencester: Management Books
Wu, J.H.C. (2006). Lao Tzu, Tao Teh Ching (translation). Boston, Massachusetts: Shambhala
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1)Discuss ways in which your experiences and differing perspectives can help you understand what you have read, and in turn, how your readings can help you expand your thinking about HR roles and responsibilities within an organization.
2)Exploring similarities and differences in your perspectives on the role of an HR leader within an organisation.
3)Sharing alternative perspectives on the notion of the HR leader as a strategic business partner and ‘strategy architect’, using examples from organisations you know well when appropriate.
4)Proposing ways in which traditional aspects of the HR function, such as recruitment, selection, succession planning, performance management, reward management, talent development, and discipline, might be impacted by a shift toward a more strategic role.
5)Asking insightful questions about the experiences of your colleagues and about their interpretations of ideas from the Learning Resources.
6)Extending the discussion into new but relevant areas
The following conditions must meet in the essay:
1) I want a typical and a quality answer which should have about 850 words.
2) The answer must raise appropriate critical questions.
3) The answer must include examples from experience or the web with references from relevant examples from real companies.
4) Do include all your references, as per the Harvard Referencing System,
5) Please don’t use Wikipedia web site.
6) I need examples from peer reviewed articles or researches.
Appreciate each single moment you spend in writing my paper
Best regards
SAMPLE ANSWER
People management is an integral role within any organization or business entity. The process, undertaken by the human resource department is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business. Owing to the crucial role played by the human resource department, the section has a greater impact in modern day business running processes, as contrasted with the traditional position (SHRM 2008, p. 4). Traditionally, the department performed the basic roles of staffing within the organization, where its major roles involved, sourcing, conducting interviews, recruiting, and orientation.
In the recent days, there has been a raging debate on the role of the human resource department in an organization. Some pundits have been insistent on the traditional roles of staffing the organization. On the other hand, some quarters are of the view that the roles of the human resource personnel be revised to be in tandem with the modern day business world. Hard times and the global economic meltdown have led to the collapse of some businesses. Coupled with stiff competition, it has become increasingly hard for businesses to meet their profitability margins. In a move that saw many firms right size and retrench their personnel, the human resource department remained critical in the entire process. As a result, strategic planning and policy implementation became the role of the human resource department.
In the modern times, the human resource department is responsible for strategic management with an organization. Aside from providing the organization with labor, the human resource department is critical to the success of the organization. Business strategists have discovered that the key process in achieving success lies not in the dissemination of ideas, rather, in their implementation (Dave Wayne & Dani, 2009, p. 25). Once the managers and other top personnel lay policies for company growth, their role remains mere overseeing. The bulk of the work in getting the employees to actualize the policies on paper is the role of the human resource department. This important role played by the department in achieving corporate success has made business strategists to rethink the roles of the human resource department (Dave, Wayne & Dani 2009, p. 24). The human resource department no longer takes a secondary position but is involved directly in the management of the organization or business entity.
Strategic decision-making involves using available data to predict future trends or works towards premeditated goals. A high impact human resource department plans effectively, the execution and implementation of an organization’s business ideas (Stacey 2011, p. 3). The human resource department has to observe the prevailing trends in the business word and orient its operations effectively. In fact, the department has overtaken some functions previously executed by the marketing department. Market search and customer feedback analysis are no longer the reserve of the marketing department. The modern human resource personnel even conduct monitoring and evaluation. In the former days, there was a distinct department that did monitoring and evaluation. However, the department‘s roles integrated with those of the human resource department.
The evolving roles of the human resource department have a huge impact on the traditional roles of recruiting, selection, succession planning, performance management, reward management, talent management, and discipline (SHRM 2008, p. 6). Businesses no longer look for persons who can fit the prescribed profile but whose knowledge and expertise will influence the business positively. This new development requires a high impact human resource department to handle (Stacey 2011, p. 5). It will be easier to attain the premeditated goals as the same department is involved in outsourcing and recruiting. The human resource department will be more dynamic and robust, leading to better performance of the business entity.
A number of companies have adopted the new strategy in human resource management to their advantage. By tapping into the strategic roles, the businesses are able to overcome market barriers and position themselves competitively in the market (Stacey 2011, p.8). Most technological and marketing companies utilize this role to evaluate the impact of their products on the market. As a result, the businesses are able to get valuable feedback that enables them to improve on their products or adopt better approaches to customer service. For instance, Facebook Incorporated, social media company uses strategic management to explore new markets and test new products. For instance, the acquisition of Whatsapp, a social utility application, was borne out of a strategic management decision arrived at by the human resource department. In the meeting, the company resolved that because of the increasing communication virility amongst the youths and middle aged, the company should look for a medium that allows the process ‘on the go’. The purchase of the application has brought the company much profit. Other companies include the technological giant Apple Incorporated. Apple Incorporated uses strategic management to tap into new markets and expand its outreach.
Overly, the evolving concepts on human resource management have introduced dynamism into organizations. As contrasted with the traditional docile roles, the modern functions are crucial to the existence of the businesses (SHRM 2008, p.3). it is about time these roles were more diversified.
List of References
Dave, U., Wayne B. & Dani J 2009, The Role of Strategy Architect in the Strategic HR Organization. People & Strategy. Vol. 32, Issue 1.
Stacey, H 2011. The Top Best Practices for the High-Impact HR Organization. Bersin & Associates. Available at: www.bersin.com
Survey for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 2008, HR’s Evolving Role in Organizations and its Impact on Business Strategy. SHRM Research.
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HR professionals play a variety of roles within an organisation. Increasingly, these roles are becoming strategic in nature, as HR managers are seen more as leaders and strategic partners with other business leaders. In organisations in which the HR leader’s role is shifting, many leaders and managers may see the value in a more strategic role for HRM; others may be unclear how HRM can add value. In some organisations, the notion of HRM as a strategic partner may still be on the horizon, awaiting an HR leader who possesses the competencies and vision needed to help the organisation move in a new direction. This week’s Key Concept Exercise provides you an opportunity to examine the notion of a strategic role for HRM.
To prepare for this essay:
•Read and consider the notions of the HR leader as a strategic business partner and ‘strategy architect’ (Ulrich & Brockbank, 2009).
•Reflect on the role of the HR leader in the context of changes in the nature of work and work environments.
•Think about an organisation you know well. To what degree does the human resource manager in that organisation serve as a strategic business partner?
The following conditions must meet in the essay:
1) I want a typical and a quality answer which should have about 1100 words.
2) The answer must raise appropriate critical questions.
3) The answer must include examples from experience or the web with references from
relevant examples from real companies.
4) Do include all your references, as per the Harvard Referencing System,
5) Please don’t use Wikipedia web site.
6) I need examples from peer reviewed articles or researches.
Appreciate each single moment you spend in writing my paper
Best regards
SAMPLE ANSWER
The role of the human resource department within an organization has changed from the traditional conception (SHRM 2008, p. 4). In the traditional setting, the human resource department performed staffing the organization, wherein the crucial roles included, sourcing, interviewing, recruiting, and orientation. Whereas staffing equipped the organization with skilled work force to run its day-to-day operations, the present times have made business strategists to rethink the roles of the human resource department (Dave, Wayne & Dani 2009, p.24). Unlike the secondary position the human resource department took in critical decision-making, the department now assumes a central position in strategic management and policy implementation.
Strategic decision-making involves taking concerted steps to avert a future crisis. As concerns the running of a business entity, this process involves making decisions that will make the business more profits. The centrality of the human resource department lies in the implementation of the company policies (Dave Wayne & Dani, 2009, p. 25). People implement the company’s policies and strategic blueprints. Strategic decisions are no longer within the purview of the top echelons in the organization. The top personnel’s roles in the organization are currently mere ratification and assent. Once the human resource department shapes the way forward, the managers serve to ensure the employees observe them.
Owing to the hard economic recession that hit businesses globally, most of them had to restructure in order to stay afloat. The process of restructuring involved, changing the manner and scale of operations, right sizing, and retrenching. Personnel managers had to devise ingenious ways of going through the aforementioned processes without hampering the operations of the business or sending a bad signal to former employees and the public at large. In addition, the very competitive market situation has forced companies to go an extra mile in order to position itself profitably in the market. Liberalization policies have made it possible for new players to have a stake in the market, with old and established entities. This not only minimizes profits but also threatens the very existence of some businesses.
Against this tirade, some companies with a robust and dynamic human resource management have withstood the test of time. This discourse will analyze two companies whose human resource department has steered them to tremendous success. In the telecommunications sector, Apple Incorporated is a fine example of how strategic management yields better fruit (Jeffrey 2005, p.4). Apple Incorporated uses internal management system to plan and execute its functions. The insight approach ensures that only persons conversant with the mission and vision of the company take the reins. Appointments to top managerial positions follow a thorough filter system (Jeffrey 2005, p.7). In addition, the company operates on set targets and reviews its performance appraisals periodically to evaluate the progress of the company so far.
On the non-profit making schemes sector, Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) is perhaps one of the best-managed organizations. Its human resource department is the busiest, overseeing operations throughout the worldwide branches. The organization uses best human resource business practices, including, ensuring that the human resource department is part of its corporate strategy. In that, employees are highly motivated as they develop a sense of belonging ( Dave, Brockbank & Dani 2009, p.27).
Overly, the human resource department in today’s business world is crucial to the existence of the business itself (SHRM 2008, p.3). Through strategic business management, the department helps the company achieve its overall objectives.
Jeffrey, C., 2005, The Apple Way. McGraw Hill: New York.
Survey for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 2008, HR’s Evolving Role in Organizations and its Impact on Business Strategy. SHRM Research Department: Alexandria.
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